Search

This has become a weeknight favorite. In a rush? Pull out some ready-to-cook meatballs, whip up a quick sauce, add some instant mashed potatoes and a frozen veggie to the equation and you’ve got a meal fit for a busy and somewhat picky family.

Ingredients

20-30 packaged, frozen Italian style meatballs

FOR SAUCE

1 cup Ketchup

2 Tablespoons Sugar

3 Tablespoons Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire

4 Tablespoons (to 6 Tablespoons) Onion

1 dash Tabasco

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place frozen Italian style meatballs in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 425 degrees for 22-23 minutes. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty French bread.

This dish is so easy to throw together and then immediately bake or freeze for another day. It’s one of the eight meals from Six Sisters Stuff that I prepared in a two hour sitting frantic rush, just a few nights before our youngest was born. The six sisters claim you can do it in one hour, but I was still pleased to completely prepare eight meals in such a short time. They make it really easy for you, too, by providing a combined shopping list for all eight meals. You can’t go wrong with that! And while the slow cooker is an easy way to go, I prefer my food baked. So bake it as described below, or slow cook it on low for 8 hours (on high for 4 hours).

Ingredients:

1 (1.5 lb) pkg. chicken breasts or thighs (boneless, skinless)

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 Tbl. rice wine vinegar

Salt and pepper for taste

Fresh or dried rosemary

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Mix together Dijon mustard, maple syrup and rice wine vinegar. Put the whole package of chicken thighs into an oven-proof baking dish (I lined mine with aluminum foil for easy clean up). Salt and pepper the thighs. Pour your maple mustard mixture over them, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated. Put the chicken thighs in the oven, and let them bake for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Baste the tops of the chicken with more sauce halfway through. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary.

As one of my favorite uses for the very versatile Dorothy Lynch dressing, this makes an incredibly moist, sweet, flavorful meatloaf. The glaze is so easy and even Trevor likes it. I prefer it to a baked meatloaf for a few reasons: it doesn’t end up floating in grease, I can easily grill my accompaniments, and, the biggie!, zero clean up.

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine the oatmeal, onion, parsley, Worcestershire, eggs and 3/4 cup Dorothy Lynch. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well with hands. Shape into two loaves on a sheet of heavy-duty foil (do not seal foil). Combine reserved dressing and mustard and spread over loaves.

Prepare grill for indirect heat; grill meat, covered, over indirect medium heat for 50 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160°. Brush tops with additional sauce/dressing if desired. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Ingredients:

2 cup macaroni

2 ea cucumber

1 bunch green onions

2 ea roma tomatoes

1 ea green, red, or yellow pepper

1 cup Miracle Whip

1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch

Preparation:

Boil macaroni until tender and drain. Rinse with cold water. Add chopped cucumber (unpeeled), chopped green onions, diced tomatoes and chopped peppers. I like to take about a third of each pepper color to add to the mix for color and flavor, also this recipe can be adapted to the size and quantity you desire. Remember when I make this the macaroni is added by the handful, so the quantities listed are general. Experiment…can also add radishes, chopped ham,etc. or leave out the tomatoes if Tamra is going to be there.

Preparation:

Boil macaroni until tender and drain. Rinse with cold water. Add chopped cucumber (unpeeled), chopped green onions, diced tomatoes and chopped peppers. I like to take about a third of each pepper color to add to the mix for color and flavor. Add powdered and liquid dressings and mix. Chill before serving and, if salad is dry, add more bottled dressing accordingly.

The Pioneer Woman succeeds again. I am rarely disappointed by one of her dishes; maybe never. We love this on fried corn tortillas topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, sliced onion, and Chalula Chipotle Hot Sauce. Feel free to create your own magic taco! This also freezes well, which goes along with my current kick. Baby #4 is set to make his appearance sometime in the next three weeks, so I am busy creating double batches of casseroles and meats for freezing. This equals quick weeknight meals for after we add a newborn to an already busy family. I place the leftovers in a Ziploc bag and use it in soups or for a super easy taco supper somewhere down the line.

Ingredients

1 whole Large Onion

1 whole Pork Shoulder (“pork Butt”) – 5 To 7 Pounds

Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce

2 cans Dr. Pepper

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay them in the bottom of a large dutch oven.

Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.

Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.

Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.

Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.

From the kitchen of Cathy Knorr. Makes great sandwiches and is super when used as a kettle chip or cracker dip or on celery. Thanks, Mom!

Ingredients:

5 lb Beef Roast

1 Onion

1 stalk Celery

1 jar Salad Dressing

1 T Horseradish

2 T Spicy Brown Mustard

1/2 cup Dill Pickle Relish

1 T Salt & Pepper

Cook beef until well done. Clean fat and bone off and discard, unless Lucy is watching, then throw in dog bowl. A 5lb roast should cook down to about 3lbs of cooked meat. A meat grinder is necessary equipment. Run meat, onion and celery through on coarse plate. Mix in rest of ingredients and chill. Sometimes will not use a complete jar depending on your own taste and amount of creaminess. Will keep well in the fridge up to 2 weeks. You can experiment with this, like adding coarsely chopped peppers (I like the banana pepper), prefer Vidalia sweet onion, Seasoning Salt, Mrs. Dash, etc.